Saturday, June 13, 2015

The most interesting news of the day is coming from Industrial Light & Magic, the legendary special & visual effects company created by George Lucas which has always been on the forefront of technology since Lucas founded it, and we learn they're developing some Virtual Reality-based "experiential entertainment" that will allow to interact with characters and settings from the Star Wars universe. THR points out that Lucasfilm and ILM have formed the ILM Experience Lab (ILMxLAB) to develop and create "virtual reality, augmented reality, real-time cinema, theme park entertainment and narrative-based experiences for future platforms."From a THR article: "Industrial Light & Magic and parent company Lucasfilm have formed the ILM Experience Lab (ILMxLAB) to create immersive content — notably, experiences based on its Star Wars franchise. This will include virtual reality, augmented reality, real-time cinema, theme park entertainment and future platforms."Anything and everything is what you can expect," said Lucasfilm executive vp and ILM president Lynwen Brennan, speaking with The Hollywood Reporter. “The wonderful thing about the Star Wars universe is that there are so many stories that have yet to been explored. We are not restricting that universe [to the stories in the existing films]. All will be telling stories — that’s one of our core principles — with a point of view and emotion.”She noted that this Star Wars content will be available for mass-market VR goggles, specialized VR and AR, and immersive cinema. “And the initial, most high-end experiences will be in the [Disney] parks.”

Brennan emphasized that the new unit isn’t just about Star Wars. While she declined to name specifics, she confirmed that the new unit will produce both live action and animated content and is working on other Disney-owned IP — which of course includes the Marvel universe as well as Pixar films — in addition to IP from other filmmakers and studios, and new original characters and stories. Some are already in production; the first such project, a Jurassic Park experience, is being demoed with Oculus Rift prototype VR goggles.Creating these projects will be ILM artists — the same that are working on Star Wars: The Force Awakens and other such ILM VFX work. Brennan said the unit will also be adding staff, particularly on the technology side."More details will be unveiled later this year, and in the meantime have a look at the video below.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

The first teaser trailer for Walt Disney Animation "Zootopia" has been released and it also explain clearly what this Zootopia really is! Below, the official synopsis:The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when optimistic Officer Judy Hopps arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde, to solve the mystery. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia,” a comedy-adventure directed by Byron Howard (“Tangled,” “Bolt”) and Rich Moore (“Wreck-It Ralph,” “The Simpsons”) and co-directed by Jared Bush (“Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero”), opens in theaters on March 4, 2016.

A L.A Times short article provides a bit more details about the two SDL hotels as well as this digital rendering above that you've seen before but which is here in better definition and with the right colors.

"The two hotels opening next year alongside Shanghai Disneyland will combine Chinese culture and tradition with Disney characters, such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, the Little Mermaid and Cinderella.

The Walt Disney Co., a part owner in Disney's first theme park on mainland China, released details Wednesday of its Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and its Toy Story Hotel, part of the resort that will include a park and a shopping and entertainment district.

The Shanghai Disneyland Hotel was described as an elegant, Nouveau-inspired hotel, featuring a fountain with a large glass peony blossom -- a traditional flower of China -- adorned with Disney fairies. Guests at the hotel will be provided amenities expected at Asian hotels, such as slippers and tea bags in the rooms.

The hotel, with 420 guest rooms, will also have bronze statues of Mickey and Minnie Mouse in the porte-cochere.

The larger Toy Story Hotel, with 800 rooms, will be a family-oriented inn with Woody and Buzz Lightyear Courtyards and a Sunnyside Cafe decorated with Chinese-style kites, flown by Disney characters.

Both hotels will include gift shops plus a service that delivers merchandise bought at the park to the hotels. A shuttle will transport guests between the Toy Story Hotel and the park, and a complimentary water taxi will carry passengers across the Wishing Start Lake, between the park and the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel."

Tokyo DisneySea announces that it will celebrate its 15th Anniversary with “The Year of Wishes” from April 15, 2016, through March 17, 2017! Below the full press release from Oriental Land:
URAYASU, CHIBA— Tokyo Disney Resort® announced that to mark the 15th
anniversary of the grand opening of Tokyo DisneySea® Park, a major celebration will be
held at the Park from April 15, 2016, through March 17, 2017, entitled “Tokyo DisneySea
15th Anniversary: The Year of Wishes.”

Since Tokyo DisneySea opened on September 4,
2001, as the only Disney Park themed to the sea,
millions of Guests have enjoyed the unique atmosphere
and adventures offered at the Park. And for this
anniversary year, Guests will be able to share a wide
variety of new experiences. “Wishes” are people’s
dreams for the future and give a feeling of hope and
excitement. During the anniversary, Guests will find
that their wishes will shine even brighter with the help
of their navigators – Mickey Mouse and the Disney
friends – as well as all the Tokyo DisneySea Cast
Members.

During the event, crystals of various colors symbolizing individual wishes will
decorate the Park. The crystals will even sparkle on the Disney characters’ costumes and
merchandise, creating an atmosphere of hope and dreams throughout the Park.
Kicking off the anniversary event will be “Crystal Wishes Journey,” a brand new
show to be presented at Mediterranean Harbor only during the special event period. The
Disney characters, each with their own wish, will appear in this show that celebrates the
start of the Guests’ journeys of adventure, sparkling with hope.
Also on the first day of the event, a new version of “Big Band Beat,” the popular
show presented at the Broadway Music Theatre, will debut with new music, costumes and
scenes. This will be the first time that the show has been changed since it opened in July
2006.
In addition, a brand new musical show incorporating projection mapping* will
premiere at the Hangar Stage in Lost River Delta in mid-2016.
The Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta®, where Guests can continue the feeling of

adventure, will also be celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2016. Besides the festive
decorations around the hotel interior, the hotel will offer special menus at the restaurants
and the lounge starting from April 15, 2016.
Picture: copyright Disney - Oriental Land

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Yes, i'm back on Disney and more and will post again regularly, and i couldn't dream better than starting D&M again than with this article as we've got big news about Disneyland Paris future! And this time the infos are coming from DLP itself who, during a cast-member forum, revealed what they have in the plans for the future! A bit of info was also sent our way regarding these renovations, so here it is both in french AND in english, so that'll be perfect for everyone!

“IT’S A SMALL WORLD”
EMBARQUEZ POUR UNE CROISIÈRE À TRAVERS LE MONDE
La plus grande attraction de Fantasyland, qui rend hommage aux enfants du monde entier dans une croisière
internationale de chanson et de joie, fait peau neuve à partir du mois d’août 2015 et rouvrira ses portes fin
décembre.
REIMAGINING THE HAPPIEST CRUISE THAT EVER SAILED
Celebrating children throughout the world with an international tour of singing and fun, Fantasyland’s delightful
musical boat tour – hosted by the children of the world – is closing for a makeover in August 2015 and will be re-
opening at the end of December.

With its classic anthem to world peace and its artfully costumed dolls representing the peoples of the world, “it’s a
small world” is one of the most popular attractions at Disneyland Paris. Paying true homage to the union of
cultures, a subject dear to Walt Disney, this attraction will be receiving a major facelift starting in August. Some of
the work to be done includes a new façade color palate, all new dolls and costumes, a re-mastered musical score,
and some new surprises- all to bring new magic to the adventure!
CHIFFRES-CLÉS“It’s a small world” réunit 281 personnages animés, 48 jouets et 247 accessoires tous animés.
Les 281 costumes ont été conçus par les équipes de Costuming de Disneyland Paris.
FUN FACTS“it’s a small world” has 281 animated characters, 48 toys and 247 animated accessories.
The 281 costumes were designed by the Costuming teams at Disneyland Paris.

BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN
LA RANDONNÉE “LA PLUS DINGUE DE L’OUEST”Icône centrale de Frontierland et attraction très prisée par nos Visiteurs, Big Thunder Mountain fermera ses
portes à la fin de l’année pour une rénovation sans pareille, permettant de dévoiler de nouvelles surprises (dont
une des plus « explosives » à ceux qui monteront à bord de ses wagonnets !
THE “WILDEST RIDE IN THE WILDERNESS”
The main attraction of Frontierland and much loved by our Guests, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be closing
at the end of the year for an amazing reimagining while unveiling new surprises for Guests climbing on board its
wagons. For the first time in its history, this iconic attraction is set to undergo major refurbishment at the end of
2015, aimed at bringing new magic to our Guests including an explosive surprise!
LA CABANE DES ROBINSON
ADVENTURE ISLE
La Cabane des Robinson fera l’objet d’une importante rénovation entre le premier et le deuxième
semestre 2016.La Cabane des Robinson a été construite au coeur des branches d’un majestueux banian par une famille de
naufragés, les Robinson, après avoir échoué sur une île. Les travaux viseront principalement à redonner toute sa
majesté à cette cabane, avec une restauration des peintures, de nouveaux effets, des travaux liés à l’horticulture
et aux chutes d’eau.
The Swiss family Robinson Tree House will be undergoing a major renovation starting early 2016 until the
second semester.The Swiss Family Robinson Tree House was built in the branches of a majestic banyan tree by the Robinson
family after they were shipwrecked on an island. The work will focus on restoring the Swiss Family Robinson Tree
House to its original décor. This will include new paint, horticulture, effects and the renovation the waterfalls.

L’escapade au coeur du Pays Imaginaire comporte 11 scènes inspirées directement du grand classique Disney,
allant de la confortable nursery des enfants Darling au galion du capitaine Crochet, en passant par le survol de
toute la ville de Londres et de l’île du Pays Imaginaire avec ses lagons chatoyants et son sinistre rocher en forme
de crâne, Skull Rock.
L’intégralité du voyage va être sublimée, avec un remplacement des jeux de lumière et une palette de couleurs
ravivée, pour une escapade encore plus immersive.
Adored by dreamers of all ages, Peter Pan’s Flight takes us to Never Land over the rooftops of London.
The fairy-tale journey is to be suspended for a while, but will be back in a few months’ time, offering an
even more magical experience.The Never Land adventure has 11 scenes directly inspired by the Disney classic, ranging from the children’s
nursery in the Darling’s home to Captain Hook’s galleon to a flight over the city of London and the island of Never
Land with its sparkling lagoons and Skull Rock. The whole voyage will have a make-over, including a fresh color
palate and revamped lighting. The London scene will look even more amazing than we remember!

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Am I coming back on Disney and more? Well, may be... As you've seen, i'm posting little by little new posts and, although i enjoy posting on Facebook, it's true that i may be a bit tired of the Facebook format "only". So, i may start Disney and more again but i'll have so many things to do this month that i'm not sure i'll post on D&M long articles as i used to do before. That said keep an eye on D&M as you may have some surprise in a not so distant future!

We learn more today about the Epcot Frozen ride as Walt Disney World unveiled a first artwork for the ride and scene-by-scene details for the ride which is officially called "Frozen Ever After", and as i told you below, rumored to open May 2016.WDW released details exclusively to the Wall Street Journal: "Kathy Mangum, who oversees the Walt Disney World Resort showed off storyboards for the attraction and a virtual tour in a room called the “DISH” that utilizes 3-D images projected on the walls, ceiling and floor to simulate a ride before it is built.“What we try to do is take you back to the movie without retelling that story,” Ms. Mangum said of “Frozen Ever After.” “This is a celebration of the characters, a way for guests who love the film to experience it in a completely different way.”While it doesn’t feature any new songs, there are several new lyrics to existing melodies written for “Frozen Ever After” by movie composers Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson Lopez.Maelstrom, on which visitors ride a floating log on a tour through Norwegian mythology, has been “gutted,” Ms. Mangum said, and is currently getting “a whole new overlay with ‘Frozen.’” While the logs and the path will remain the same, everything you see along the way is being replaced.

The setting for “Frozen Ever After” is the winter festival that takes place in summer, when residents of Arendelle apparently celebrate their favorite season of the year in the midst of its polar opposite.While waiting on line, which is sure to take longer than the four-minute ride, visitors will walk by Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post. The trader with the thick accent will occassionaly clear steam on the windows to utter a hearty “yoo-hoo!” to people walking by. “We consider this scene one,” Ms. Mangum said.Once they board their logs, “Frozen Ever After” riders will first see goofy snowman Olaf and equally goofy reindeer Sven setting up the Winter Festival premise.Next is a stop at Troll Valley, where Grandpappy Troll tells a gathering of children the story of how Anna and Kristof met, before the log goes up a ramp to find Olaf again, singing a song while ice skating, right next to Anna and Kristof, who are singing with their friend Sven.Behind a set of doors is the moment any visitor is sure to be waiting for: Elsa, on a balcony, singing “Let It Go” in her ice castle. It’s the centerpiece of the ride, “the big, big scene,” Ms. Mangum said, and it features elaborate effects to create simulated snow crystals soaring around the room.Visitors will next ride by Marshmallow, the giant, formerly evil snowman from “Frozen” and his miniature Snowgie pals, who show up in the short “Frozen Fever,” which ran in front of March’s “Cinderella.”Marshmallow himself yells “Let It Go” in time with Elsa’s song before the log travels through a mist cloud and reaches the final scene, which includes fireworks and a wave from Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Sven and Kristof.The audio-animatronic characters will be cutting edge, Ms. Mangum said, using a new technology that includes projectors behind the faces to enable more lifelike animation. It was first used on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride that opened in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom last year.Disney executives and designers started discussing a “Frozen” ride before the film even came out, said chief operating officer Tom Staggs, who ran the theme park unit until February. But “our urgency grew as the film really took off,” he said, and “we purposefully set a really audacious goal to get this thing done.” That’s one of the reasons why it’s a makeover of Maelstrom, rather than an entirely new attraction that would take longer to build.The company is counting on “Frozen Ever After” to boost the popularity of Epcot, where attendance was essentially flat between 2009 and 2013, the most recent year for which data are available, according to the Themed Entertainment Association. “Cars Land” did the same for Disney’s California Adventure theme park, which struggled before an area based on the Pixar movie opened in 2012.Of course, some may question whether the the fictional world of Arendelle belongs in Epcot’s World Pavilion, which has always been about touring countries that actually exist, like Japan, Mexico, and Norway.But Mr. Staggs argued that “Frozen Ever After” is sure to draw more visitors to the Norway Pavilion, and Epcot as a whole, and that the movie is in fact based significantly on Scandinavian culture, art and mythology.“If the goal is to give people a taste of something like Scandinavia with the Norway pavilion, then ‘Frozen’ would only increase the extent to which people would be drawn to it,” he said. “To me it doesn’t seem out-of-character at all.”Picture: copyright DisneyText: copyright Wall Street Journal

A new Chinese video was filmed, using as usual a drone flying over Shanghaî Disneyland construction site, and if the sky was not the best to have a good contrast - due to the fact that it was probably filmed early morning to have the drone as "invisible" as possible, it's pretty well filmed and may be the best video i've seen so far. It's also the most recent one showing the construction of the park as it was one week ago.I have for you some enhanced screen captures from the video below, so you can have a closer look at what point SDL lands are currently, and you can see them in the D&M Facebook album HERE. The two pictures showing some green fields nearby are showing in fact the land where will be build Shanghaî Disneyland second gate.Don't forget to follow my posts each day on the D&M Facebook page HERE!

NEW! Disney and more Surveys !

I introduce today on the right bar of this D&M website a series of surveys to know what YOU wish as new additions / rides / lands for Disneyland Paris park and the Walt Disney Studios! Depending of the survey, as indicated, you're asked to choose either one, two, or three choices. And results can be seen instantly.

The folks of Disney are following Disney and more and your opinion may have more influence than you think for future attractions, so make sure to do the survey! The survey don't request any name, email address, etc, so it's totally anonymous. Make sure to think wisely for your answers, as you can choose only one time!

These surveys may not appear on a mobile device so you need to answer them from your computer.

Tower of Terror SURVEY!

I add today Sept 22 a new survey below, and the question for this one is simple : do you wish that the WDS Tower of Terror will be transformed in a Guardians of Galaxy ride, similar to the one at DCA? Go ahead, place your answer!

Choose ONE Favorite Land for DLP WDS

Choose the THREE favorite LANDS you wish for DLP WDS

Previous Article

Hello everyone, thanks to Max, D&M contributor and DLPWelcome webmaster i have for you today a looong article with which you'll hav...

Disneyland Paris Book

The acclaimed Disneyland Paris, From Sketch to Reality 320 pages book is no longer available from the publishing company Neverland Editions which has stop its activities. Anyone looking for an English or French edition copy must send me an email at nme4@wanadoo.fr and i'll tell you where or how to find one. Le livre Disneyland Paris, De l’Esquisse à la Cration n'est plus disponible auprès de la société d'édition Neverland Editions qui a arrêté son activité. Toute personne à la recherche d’un exemplaire du livre en français ou en anglais doit m'envoyer un email à nme4@wanadoo.fr

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